The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-06-11
WOMEN AS NAVIGATORS.
BY ELIZABETH CAKES SMITH.

hear OF brave women who saved ship and
crew by their wise forecast, intelligence
and courage. Ny husbands sister, Mrs.
Anna Larrabee, quelled mutiny by her
womanly address. The captain, her hus-
band, was a despotic, high tempered
man. and one day the whole crew left the
deck, and going down into the forecastle,
refused duty. Having armed themselves
with handspikes and msuls, they de-
clared they would fight it out. She saw
her husband and the first mate arm them
selves, and knew there would be terri.
BILE contest. Without one word she de-
scended to the forecastle and addressed
the men, who actually applauded her
speech and proposed their terms.
The captain was to let the men up,
without word or punishment of any kind;
she was to give her sacred word that faith
should be kept with them-that if they
returned to duty all should be ignored.
With this proposed compromise she went
ambassador to the captain, who was at
first 10th to admit Of any terms short of
unqualified submission and punishment
OF the ring leaders; but she at length
effected her purpose, and the men re-
turned to their accustomed duties.
In the town Of Boothbay. Lincoln
county, Maine, lived hard faced woman
by the name of Lydia Beath, who, for
more than twenty years taught the young
men navigation for miles around her, and
it was said Lydia made the best sailors
from Bath to Quaddy." Her father had
been gentleman navigator of the old
English colonial stamp, and had taken
pride in the instruction of his daughter.
can remember them well.
The following history of womanly
courage and resolution is one OF many
such.
The "Chieftian" is ship of about 1900
tons burden, full rugged and stsunch. She
sailed from Philadelphia, where she is
owned, year ago last September, to
Liverpool, and thence to Calcutta. She
was loaded with linseed, jute and gunny
cloth. She left Calcutta on the 28th of
last October, but did not get outside of
Sand Heads-the Sandy Hook of Calcutta
till November 4th. The crew numbe
twenty-three, including second and
third mate, the first being of duty and
Captain Mcguire in command. Every
thing went on well; there were favoring
breezes and the ship made good Roadway
at the commencement OF the return voy-
age. About the end of five weeks, how
ever, Captain Mcguire was Frustrated
with Calcutta fever. Both of the mates
were comparatively inexperienced and
neither had ever commanded vessel.
"You have been with me twenty years
on my voyages" he said to his wife, call
ing her to his berth;"I want you should
take command of the ship. Will you do
itY'
81 WILL" she answered.
81 am commander of this ship by my
husbands ORDERS" she said to the crew;
"you will obey me as SUCH"
Promptly she took command, and we'll
the crew obeyed her. Allied to this
promptness was bravery, and underlying
this bravery was confidence in her own
ability to discharge the duties she had
assumed. She knew every spar and rope
and sail on the vessel. She knew every
word of command. She made all the
observations herself. She kept the log
book. She watched the barometer. She
noted the shifting clouds and varying
breezes. She was de facto the captain.
But in the midst of her manifold duties
she never failed in attentions to her sick
husband. Here the womanly tenderness
of devoted wife showed itself in soft
and soothing words of comfort, and in Civ
ing him his medicines, under whose be-
eticent working she was pleased tonote the
gradual mastering of the disease that kept
him through thirteen long weeks COM
pletely PROSTATE and helpless. On deck
she was stern, unyielding, peremptory.
Happily the crew had been we'll discip-
lined, and there was very little trouble
with them.
Mrs. Mcguire is thoroughly sensible
woman, with undoubtedly good deal of
the masculine in her composition, but yet
entirely and pleasingly womanly. See Is
tall, almost Amazonian, in fact, but
though strong and able-bodied, shows
none of those physical peculiarities and
angular pointedness characteristic of our
modern school Of strong minded women.
She has splendid health, and this is, no
doubt one of the secrets of her great
success.
In the city of New York lately died with
in few hours of each other, two brothers,
much esteemed merchants, of the name of
Weinberg. I knew their mother well-a
tall, exceedingly handsome woman, with
rich, full voice and elegant manners.
Her maiden name was Hannah Jordan,
of Cape Elizabeth, Maine.
After her marriage with Captain Wen
berg she often went voyages with him,
dividing the command of the ship. On a
return voyage from Rio Janeiro the Cap
tain fell i'll, and was tenderly cared for by
his wife. Foreseeing his approaching end,
he, in few brief words, directed her to
take command of the ship, which she did
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